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Total ratings: 1949
Length: 2:48
Plays (last 30 days): 2
This had to be for some noir film soundtrack. I can see the big blonde on the smoky waterfront now...
A dark figure slowly emerged from the inky shadows of a dimly lit quonset hut…
Do we have any songs in the Radio Paradise database that are over 85 years old?
I've heard Bill play songs hundreds of years old!
10/10.
This had to be for some noir film soundtrack. I can see the big blonde on the smoky waterfront now...
Nah, this song predates the Film Noir genre by several years.
Pretty sure that Martin Scorcese used this in "The Aviator" when Howard Hughes starts sliding into obsessive-compulsive madness.
The clarinet absolutely has the ability to unsettle my nerves, so I get the title. But what really unsettled my nerves - for an unfortunately long time - was the 2018 film Hereditary. Composed by Colin Stetson, the soundtrack is an indispensable part of the film; Stetson relied heavily on the layering of clarinets, bass clarinets, and contrabass clarinets. Definitely nightmarish.
Oh joy. Superb musicianship. After Elvis Costello this is, as my Dad would say, going from the cor blimey to the sublime.
Today was Lady Gaga then this.
Can you hear it Dad! (I'm now 74 and still miss him so much) ❤️
This is how i wanted to be able to play clarinet when i was in high school band, but a lack of self motivation; ie no willingness to practice enough held me back.
I still dream of being able to play some instrument with the feeling I hear in this piece even 50 years later.
The nightmare that is the lack of self motivation still hangs around. :((
Same. I played clarinet in middle and high school and gave it up when I reached college. I was pretty terrible. I did practice, but not enough.
Stole the theme melody from James Bond movies. Or did they steal it from him?
James Bond didn't exist in 1937
c.
Sidney Bechet and Woody Herman too, though they both also played saxophones.
c.
Jim Snyder
(I worked with him in a bicycle shop many moons ago)
Whoever heard of "Lead Clarinette?" This is fantastic!
c.
Whoever heard of "Lead Clarinette?" This is fantastic!
OK...agreed.
I still dream of being able to play some instrument with the feeling I hear in this piece even 50 years later.
The nightmare that is the lack of self motivation still hangs around. :((
thanks RP.
Agree completely! One of the best parts of RP is hearing the variety of genres and periods!
Pretty sure that Martin Scorcese used this in "The Aviator" when Howard Hughes starts sliding into obsessive-compulsive madness.
Yes, it is always true that older generations will maintain that everything older is better than the new stuff, and their memories are selective about forgetting the lousy things from the past. There was plenty of bad music 80 years ago - Al Jolson anyone?
Hopefully none of today's crap will be remembered at all, but there is a ton of other good stuff being put out today (even from new artists) that will make the cut, even 80 years from now. Just keep in mind: so much of the music that was played back then hasn't survived, we only hold up the ones that made it as "evidence".
Yes, it is always true that older generations will maintain that everything older is better than the new stuff, and their memories are selective about forgetting the lousy things from the past. There was plenty of bad music 80 years ago - Al Jolson anyone?
This is from 80 years ago!
How much of today's crap will be worth remembering in 8 years, never mind 80?...
Hopefully none of today's crap will be remembered at all, but there is a ton of other good stuff being put out today (even from new artists) that will make the cut, even 80 years from now. Just keep in mind: so much of the music that was played back then hasn't survived, we only hold up the ones that made it as "evidence".
I didn't see THAT one coming
This is from 80 years ago!
How much of today's crap will be worth remembering in 8 years, never mind 80?...
ChrisVII, you comment is spot on - however I think the cat must have walked on the keyboard when you clicked on the "Post Comment" button?
Our cat walked on my laptop when I was looking at photos on my mobile phone connected by a USB cable and all the photos disappeared! Luckily they had already been uploaded to the cloud or the cat would have got a boot up the backside.
thanks RP.
Me Likey
dude is easy on the eyes as well as ears. listening to this slow steady enjoyable assault, i have the urge to take up smoking, drinking and other vices again
Well, the title of the song is, after all, NIGHTMARE. Who has a romantic or bebop nightmare?
Thanks RP.. for this less than amazing tune...
Exactly
Scorcese used this piece beautifully in "The Aviator" as Howard Hughes sinks into a frightening bout of mental illness. I don't know if the movie was entirely historically accurate but it amazed me that Hughes was able to pull out of that episode and function again. If you read his bio, though, he was racked by intractable pain and numerous obsessions, especially later in life.
Goodness, I just marked it up from a 9 to a 10. Exquisite to my ears.
Absolutely for mine too
Thanks RP.. for this less than amazing tune...
Goodness, I just marked it up from a 9 to a 10. Exquisite to my ears.
Miss you so much, Cynaera...
love this music...
Yes, well done. Mostly in the tread-like rhythm section—in the 007 theme, that was the guitar's job.
Would love to hear RPers' opinion of Artie Shaw as a clarinet player—was he the best of his time? Very interesting and rather difficult guy, even by his own admission. Apparently he'd get fed up with touring and literally walk off the bandstand during a performance. He finally just stopped playing at 44—put the clarinet down and never picked it up again. Became a crack shot, though.
Artie's my choice - Benny was fab but Artie had more swing, for me. And anyone who calls Glenn Miller "the Republican of jazz"* is alright with me.
*it wasn't a compliment.
No, it's not "Summertime"; both tunes happen to be in minor keys with similar adornments and turn-arounds though.
Funnily enough, I've just heard it for the first time and, without seeing the title, I thought it might be a particularly dark piece that at least referenced Summertime. And on seeing the title I wondered whether "Nightmare" and "Summertime" was referencing irony/irritation/exasperation at the inordinate numbers of covers of Summertime out there.
Took a lot of guts to say, "Enough!" and walk away. That era's top clarinetists would likely be Shaw, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Barney Bigard (with Ellington). Trying to say which one is "the best" only starts one of those pointless arguments, since they were all imaginative, fiery composers, and technical masters.
Predating that era by a bit is Ross Gorman, who in 1924 created the glissando that opens "Rhapsody in Blue," while with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.
Woody Herman was a clarinetist? Did not know that. Never heard of Barney Bigard but that's on me. You're probably quite right about the "best" debate, although similar comparisons go on with electric guitarists in rock.
Yes, much agreed, Outstanding RP - thank you!!
I agree!
Yes, well done. Mostly in the tread-like rhythm section—in the 007 theme, that was the guitar's job.
Would love to hear RPers' opinion of Artie Shaw as a clarinet player—was he the best of his time? Very interesting and rather difficult guy, even by his own admission. Apparently he'd get fed up with touring and literally walk off the bandstand during a performance. He finally just stopped playing at 44—put the clarinet down and never picked it up again. Became a crack shot, though.
Took a lot of guts to say, "Enough!" and walk away. That era's top clarinetists would likely be Shaw, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Barney Bigard (with Ellington). Trying to say which one is "the best" only starts one of those pointless arguments, since they were all imaginative, fiery composers, and technical masters.
Predating that era by a bit is Ross Gorman, who in 1924 created the glissando that opens "Rhapsody in Blue," while with Paul Whiteman's orchestra.
Yes, well done. Mostly in the tread-like rhythm section—in the 007 theme, that was the guitar's job.
Would love to hear RPers' opinion of Artie Shaw as a clarinet player—was he the best of his time? Very interesting and rather difficult guy, even by his own admission. Apparently he'd get fed up with touring and literally walk off the bandstand during a performance. He finally just stopped playing at 44—put the clarinet down and never picked it up again. Became a crack shot, though.
I have not heard this before. Thanks Again RP. I also really like all the cool images RP listeners have contributed to this amazing Radio Station, Rock On
Me too .. I still have my dad's German-style double bass bow with real horsehair — about 100 years old I think.
I'm sure the club is larger than we think.
I was raised on big band, dixieland, marching brass bands, classical and a few other genres. I think that's why RP has such appeal for me. I have some of my Dad's collection but it's on reel to reel and LP and I don't have a system to play it.
I'm going to digress a bit as I'm feeling nostalgic, please forgive me.
He had a state of the art system for 1969. Two tape decks, turn table, AM/FM/SW radio, three channel pre-amps, and a couple of other electronic items I forget the names of. All tubes and It as all housed in a cabinet 6 ft high, 5 ft wide and 2 ft deep. The speakers were in cabinets 4 ft high by 2 ft. My Mom called it "The Monster". I used to get in the cabinet and flip switches and turn dials and pretend I was a mad scientist working on controlling the world.
He had one chair placed in optimal position to get the stereo effect. Do you remember that commercial with the guy sitting in front of the big speakers JBL I think, and the glass of wine starts to slide off the little table. It was a little like that.
Sometimes on Saturday morning, Dad would put on the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and crank up the volume until things started rattling off the shelves. I can still hear the horses hove's clatter against the cobble stones as the moved from left to right and the Sargent Major's voice yelling out the commands. Then the royal band would kick in. Even a pillow pulled over your head couldn't keep out the sound. Yep, time to get up.
...
Thanks for letting me take a little trip.
Doug
You should try to get that equipment fired up again.
The commercial was for Memorex cassette tapes.
and I thought I was the only one. I have quite a collection myself. My Mom, at 90 keeps the music alive for me.
I will always love Big Band.
I'm sure the club is larger than we think.
I was raised on big band, dixieland, marching brass bands, classical and a few other genres. I think that's why RP has such appeal for me. I have some of my Dad's collection but it's on reel to reel and LP and I don't have a system to play it.
I'm going to digress a bit as I'm feeling nostalgic, please forgive me.
He had a state of the art system for 1969. Two tape decks, turn table, AM/FM/SW radio, three channel pre-amps, and a couple of other electronic items I forget the names of. All tubes and It as all housed in a cabinet 6 ft high, 5 ft wide and 2 ft deep. The speakers were in cabinets 4 ft high by 2 ft. My Mom called it "The Monster". I used to get in the cabinet and flip switches and turn dials and pretend I was a mad scientist working on controlling the world.
He had one chair placed in optimal position to get the stereo effect. Do you remember that commercial with the guy sitting in front of the big speakers JBL I think, and the glass of wine starts to slide off the little table. It was a little like that.
Sometimes on Saturday morning, Dad would put on the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and crank up the volume until things started rattling off the shelves. I can still hear the horses hove's clatter against the cobble stones as the moved from left to right and the Sargent Major's voice yelling out the commands. Then the royal band would kick in. Even a pillow pulled over your head couldn't keep out the sound. Yep, time to get up.
...
Thanks for letting me take a little trip.
Doug
and I thought I was the only one. I have quite a collection myself. My Mom, at 90 keeps the music alive for me.
I will always love Big Band.
Hmm. I know this song by the name Summertime.... funny it should sound dark.
No, it's not "Summertime"; both tunes happen to be in minor keys with similar adornments and turn-arounds though.
Hi, Ginnie! Notice that all three tunes feature sleeping ("Like a Hurricane" says, "You are just a dreamer, but I am just a dream..."
Gotta love RP.
Ditto that. A true performer, but a humble human, unlike many of today's "musicians"